Harvest Ale | Southern Tier Brewing Company

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3/5 rDev -21.9%look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Definitely an Americanized version of the classic ESB, which is to say it's over-hopped & lacks balance in the malt / hop ratio. It isn't too abrasive with the hops & it has a good body, but the malt profile is a letdown

What's in a name? Or a label, for that matter. Here's one all dressed up in fall colors suggesting a pumpkin ale or perhaps an Oktoberfest. There's no description on the label (unless you think "Special Ale" means something). But pop the cap and take a whiff. No fair Southern Tier. Another over hopped IPA in sheep's clothing. Nothing here that suggests a harvest unless it's a hop harvest. Buyer beware.

Appearance: Handed across the bar a clear, dark copper-gold body (looks like brewed tea), with a thin coating of white suds. Standard laceworks on the way down.

Smell: Pale malts with some soundly bready and biscuit-hinted notes to it and sweetish touch of golden syrup, maybe an infinitesimal bit of light caramel. Modestly spicy, fruity as well.

Taste: Bready, biscuity maltiness given a thin drizzle of treacle for a kiss of sweetness. Earthy, spicy hops with some dried lemon peel. Moderate bitterness. Some late fruitiness with a rebound of sugar for a hint of candied apple. Bittersweet, earthy finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium carbonation.

Overall: Harvest Ale is an enjoyable, quaffable brew for early Sunday morning drinking.

Had this at Macgregor's in Canadaigua,poured a deep gold with moderate head that didnt stay around to quickly aromas of pine and some citruisy (mainly lemon) notes as well.Taste up front was very piney and resiny but as I drank more the biscuity malt backbone showed itself more really balancing this one out lightly sweet just enough to tame the hops a little.Seemed a tad thin at first not sure if its just me that picked that up,anyways a very good beer from Southern Tier.

A: A light golden color with excellent clarity. The head is long lasting, white and very thin.

S: Pine and citrus hops are in the front at a moderate level with a moderate malt aroma that is somewhat caramel and biscuit. There is a light fruity ester and some grassy notes.

T: Moderately strong hops bitterness and moderate hops flavor which is pineapple and citrus. The mat is supportive but not a strong player with moderately-light malt flavors. The balance is bitter and the finish medium-dry with some hops bitterness lingering into the after taste.

M: A crisp, medium-light bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation.

O: An clearly American take on the ESB while staying fairly true to style. A bit more malt flavor would be needed for the style but I don't care I like it just the way it is.

Pours into my glass a light golden yellow with a small white head on top. Good clarity overall. Looks like a fall sunset. Aromas start with crisp, slightly toasted grains and caramel. Herbal, somewhat resinous hops are there with a slight citric aroma as well. Mildly fruity.

First sip brings crisp, somewhat toasted caramel grain malt upfront along with a mildly fruity flavor. It moves into herbal, earthy hops that kick in the bitterness midway through. Flows down with a touch of spiciness and a clean, crisp finish that's slightly dry.

Mouthfeel is on the lighter and more drinkable side with a really nice creaminess that goes all the way through each sip. Overall, a refreshing brew with a nice hoppy bite that goes down easy. I could see a six pack of this going very well with a crisp fall evening. Thanks to afterexile for the chance to sample this one.

Presentation: It was poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a pint glass

Appearance: It has a bright golden color with a slight chill haze and a small creamy white head. It fades to just a very thin covering that still makes some nice lace on the glass.

Smell: The aroma has a hop filled nose with piney/citrus notes and a hint of caramel and toasted grain.

Taste/Mouth feel: Its flavor has a good malty backbone with light toasted notes as well as a mild almost fruity sweetness. This is balanced by good bitterness from the hops which add some piney/citrus notes. In the finish I picked up more of a herbal tea like hop flavor that slowly fades off the tongue. It has a solid medium body with good carbonation and a slightly slick texture.

Notes: I wasn't expecting a ESB for a harvest beer but it was very enjoyable.

Picked this one up at a Southern Tier tasting that I attended last night, courtesy of Mike & Co. over at Nikki's Liquors in N. Providence.

It pours a nice, clear, pale golden color with a great off-white creamy head that tends to linger around, decorating the glass with lacing as the beer dwindles down to nothing. Aroma is of fresh, citrusy, fruity hops...smells VERY clean. Taste is more hops. The flavor, however, is more piney than citrusy/fruity as the smell indicates. Very light malts, but the hops take center stage bigtime, along with a grainy flavor. Very much like an easy drinking IPA. I could easily imagine myself enjoying this beer all weekend out in the hot New England summer weather. Very crisp, nice bite, and ends pretty dry but not too astringent. Drinkable? Abso-frickin-lutely...A fine fine example of an APA.

Mini growler pour from DeCicco's in Ardsley, NY. Pours glowing golden lighter amber. Clear in the glass under a frothy off white nose that stays around and leaves a thick collar and copious spotted lace. Bright citrus nose, highlighted by notes of oranges. Nice looking and smelling brew. Healthily hopped with citrus infused hops. Flavorful and quite tasty ale, bright hop notes supported and balanced by a more then ample malt under caraige.. More high quality and well worth trying beer from NY states S.T.